Personal

Jack Reacher, Book 19

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE BLOCKBUSTER JACK REACHER SERIES THAT INSPIRED TWO MAJOR MOTION PICTURES AND THE STREAMING SERIES REACHER

“The best one yet.”—Stephen King

Someone has tried to kill the French president. How many snipers can shoot from three-quarters of a mile with total confidence? John Kott—a U.S. Army marksman gone bad—is one of them. After fifteen years in prison, he’s out . . . and there’s a G8 summit coming up, packed with enough world leaders to tempt any assassin.

If anyone can stop Kott, it’s the man who beat him before: Jack Reacher. And though he’d rather work alone, Reacher is teamed with rookie analyst Casey Nice. They’re facing a rough road, full of local thugs, double-crosses, and no backup if things go wrong. Reacher never gets too close. But this time it’s personal.

This edition includes the bonus short story “Not a Drill.”

©2014 Lee Child (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Reacher is the stuff of myth, a great male fantasy. . . . One of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes . . . [Lee] Child does a masterly job of bringing his adventure to life with endless surprises and fierce suspense.”—The Washington Post

“Yet another satisfying page-turner.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Reacher is always up for a good fight, most entertainingly when he goes mano a mano with a seven-foot, 300-pound monster of a mobster named Little Joey. But it’s Reacher the Teacher who wows here.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

A good read but a bit far fetched!

A good well planned & executed story. Could this really be put together in real life? I'm not so sure......

Lee Child: where in the world is Jack Reacher?

Where is Jack Reacher?

He is not in this book--at least, not the Reacher I know and love! The Reacher in this book is aging out and boring. Reacher is NEVER boring. There is no life in this book's character; he is just going through the motions.

There is a sort of fight in Chapter 27.

I worried in the beginning of the book about the narration. Dick Hill is the voice of Reacher as far as I am concerned, but Mr Hill started out a little thin and weak at the beginning and I thought he had been ill or something, but he did pick up somewhat as the book went on. However, he seemed less energetic than usual. I hope he is ok.

The plot meandered. I gave up caring whether or not they ever found the sniper they started out looking for in Arkansas to Paris to London etc.

I am on Chapter 33 of 58 as I write. I am going to finish it, but it is a mere formality.

Please find the real Reacher and bring him back. I gave the book three stars overall, but mostly from loyalty.

Jack Reacher aka Sherlock Homeless: I Love It!!

What did you love best about Personal?

I thought this was a typical Reacher book. By that I mean it did NOT disappoint me at all. It's Reacher to the rescue with an unexpected ending.

What does Dick Hill bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Dick Hill is Jack Reacher's voice. There are three books in this series that are read by someone else and I really wish Dick Hill would reread these. I for one would purchase them.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nothing extreme but I think there were some really good one liners that did make me laugh through out the book.

Any additional comments?

Not sure why this book has gotten some poor reviews but I thought it was great. This is probably my favorite series and I'm already waiting for the next. I think people have to remember that he was "born" in 1961, making him 53. Unless Lee Child does a flashback book you can't expect him to perform like he was 36 again and still be believable. I really liked the story line and the ending was so unexpected. As in a few previous books the ending throws you for a loop. Everything is getting wrapped up, there's maybe 15 minutes left and you find out that what you believed was the conclusion was not and the real antagonist was the last person you would have guessed. I am happy with my purchase and I'm sure I will listen to it again.

A page turner

This is the 19th Jack Reacher Novel. They are blissfully pedantic whodunits. I have found that both men and women like to read the Jack Reacher stories. Reacher is a retired army military policeman who is a loner. He is off the grid. He hitchhikes, or takes the Greyhound. He doesn’t have a credit card, driver’s license, or a cell phone. He buys new clothes, usually from a thrift shop every three or four days and throws the old ones away. He rights wrongs. He is laconically funny.

The plot of this book involves Reacher joining an international manhunt for a rogue sniper. The possible American sniper is John Knott a man Reacher had put into prison. The president of France is almost killed by the sniper. The G8 meeting is about to take place in London so the race is on to catch him. As Reacher had caught him before he is called in to catch him again. A sniper, gangsters, ex-military guys Child’s weaves together an exciting twisting story.

Child has continued to make Reacher interesting, informative and compelling. Child’s style is straight forward and no-nonsense sort of like Reacher. Child does provide a surprising twist at the end of the story. I am looking forward to the next Jack Reacher book. By the way Tom Cruise is NOT Reacher. Dick Hill did his usual great job narrating this book. Hill has been the narrator for the entire series he is Reacher.

Good story, bad reading

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would only recommend this to read, not to listen to. The dripping sarcastic attitude of the reader does not match well with the great character of Reacher and makes him sound like a looser. I don't know why Lee Child continues to use Dick Hill in his books.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was great.

Would you be willing to try another one of Dick Hill’s performances?

No

Great Book!

If you could sum up Personal in three words, what would they be?

Wow

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jack Reacher
He is one Bad A$$

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

Jack Reacher

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I would have never guessed the ending

Any additional comments?

I really like that Dick Hill has narrated all of these books

Reacher is still the BEST.

Would you consider the audio edition of Personal to be better than the print version?

Yes, for two reasons. Dick Hill's interpretation is spot on, to my imagination of the story. Second, listening is the only way to read with my dyslexia.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think it has to be Reacher, because he is still the double fist-ted man, but shows much more of the cerebral in this story.

What does Dick Hill bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The flow of the book is increased and the verbal timing adds to the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The very end. Can't spoil it.

Reacher being Reacher without reaching.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, a unique combination or thrill and intrigue.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, anxiously waiting the next offering of Lee Child.

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

Jack Reacher, but he does a solid job of portraying characters in a believable style.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Reacher, wrong place, right time.

Full of suspense

The story was full of suspense and unique. The complexity in the details made the in story memorable. The story riches back to Jack Reachers past and ties it in very well.

Michelle

Narrator perfect! Lots of detail in the story writing! Fantastic suspense, all around good read.